One of the key components affecting the speed of a memory system is the sense amplifier, which is a differential amplifier or comparator that reads output lines from a memory array. One of the key characteristics affecting the speed of a memory is the offset voltage of its sense amplifier. A large offset voltage limits the speed at which a memory system can operate because memory array output lines must slew to a sufficient extent to overcome the offset voltage. To design a fast memory system, a designer must be able to predict sense amplifier characteristics, such as offset voltage. Unfortunately, known techniques for characterizing the offset voltage of the sense amplifier are approximate and unsatisfactory. Known techniques include calculations based on the electrical characteristics of the electronic components of the sense amplifier or rough "rules of thumb."